The Foreign Service Journal, June 2010

80 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 0 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT program and course timelines, as well. Some courses are offered only during certain semesters (or on specific schedules), and all work must be com- pleted by strict deadlines. Others are flexible and remain open, as needed, until the student submits certain work or passes an assessment. Degree pro- grams also vary. Some may require finishing all credits in four to five years, while others might allow you more or less time. It takes some additional planning to assure success as an online student. Instructors say that besides good Internet access and strong motivation, students need to plan for the time commitment involved — about 10 hours a week per course. Check out syllabi, which are commonly available at the instructor’s course Web pages. The course syllabus should outline minimum expectations to help stu- dents judge if a course is demanding and of high quality. Most demanding courses require log-in time every week in order to upload papers, initi- ate discussions, perform lab assign- ments and post questions. A good course will require a signif- icant amount of assigned reading each week. It will require students to do active research on topics, with weekly assignments. Assessments should be scheduled once every couple of weeks. Classes usually have an ele- ment of interaction between class members in the form of online discus- RESOURCES Peterson’s www.petersons.com One of the best search features for online and distance learning. College Choices for Adults www.collegechoicesforadults.org/ welcome/questions 21 questions you should ask before starting a program. The Family Liaison Office www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c21570. htm A link covering higher education. Online classes are generally either “synchronous” or “asynchronous.” Continued on p. 85